South Dakota Lawmakers Advance Two More Anti-LGBT Bills

February 3, 2016 • 12:37 pm

PIERRE – Today South Dakota legislators passed HB 1007 and HB 1112 out of the House State Affairs Committee, two bills that would respectively allow businesses and individuals to use religion as a reason to discriminate against LGBT people, and which would ban any transgender-inclusive policy in South Dakota high schools.

Matt McTighe, executive director of Freedom for All Americans, released the following statement:

“Today South Dakota legislators took an enormous step backwards by voting to advance two dangerous bills that would exacerbate the discrimination that LGBT people face in their state, including a bill that targets transgender students specifically. It is egregious for lawmakers to support a bill that would single out transgender children in schools and make it nearly impossible for them to participate in activities that should be part of every child’s educational experience. No person should live in fear of discrimination at school, at work, or anywhere else. These harmful bills should be stopped as soon as possible.”

Last week, lawmakers also advanced HB 1008, a bill that bans transgender students from using restrooms and facilities that correspond to their gender identity.

Freedom for All Americans is the bipartisan campaign to secure full nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people nationwide. Our work brings together Republicans and Democrats, businesses large and small, people of faith, and allies from all walks of life to make the case for comprehensive nondiscrimination protections that ensure everyone is treated fairly and equally.